Disposable Sanitary Pad

Abstract

A disposable sanitary pad in which a high absorbency fill member is retained and protected by a thin absorbent cover, both being attached to a thin flexible plastic back member having a thickness of one thousandth to two thousandths of an inch. This plastic back member, on its opposite side, is provided with a nontoxic adhesive surface which, in its shipping and stored condition, is protected by a pullaway cover. The nontoxic adhesive, in its exposed or uncovered condition, is adapted to removably attach the sanitary pad to a portion of a garment such as the crotch of a panty or the like.

Parent Case Text

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 735,772, filed Jun. 10, 1968.

Description

This invention relates to the general class of Surgery and in particular to the subclasses of "bandaging"; "pads" and particularly to the subclass of "receptors"; both "catamenial" and "diaper."

Sanitary pads and tampons, of course, are well known in both commerce and the art and a constant program of research has brought improvements in the art to a more-or-less high degree of development. It is to be noted that many women are often troubled with the problem of a daily light vaginal discharge. The usual sanitary pad, napkin, tampon, or the like, used during the regular monthly menstrual flow, while satisfactory for this particular purpose, is too bulky and uncomfortable for everyday use. Therefore, there is a need for a pad which will receive this light discharge while being able to be worn every day without discomfort.

Because of, and as an answer to, this problem, there have been a few attempts to make a small sanitary pad attachable to the crotch portion of a panty or girdle. These small pads are usually attached to the undergarment by means of snaps and the like. These attempts have usually been too bulky or uncomfortable or have been unsatisfactory in their means of retention in the undergarment.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved disposable absorbent-pad construction, having its own means of protection of the garment within which it is worn.

Another object is to provide an improved pad of the character indicated, which is of minimum and uniform thickness, which has tapered peripheral edges, and which involves no folds of material.

A further object is to meet the above objects with a construction which may be self-adherent to the garment and which will flexibly conform to the flexing of the garment.

It is also an object to provide a thin pad of the character indicated, without folds, and wherein absorbent capability is confined essentially within the peripheral limits of the pad.

It is a specific object of the invention to provide a disposable panty pad which may be easily mounted in the crotch portion of any undergarment without use of snaps or other fasteners.

Other objects and various further features of novelty and invention will be pointed out or will occur to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In said drawings, which show, for illustrative purposes only, preferred forms of the invention:

FIGS. 1 to 4 are illustrative plan views of four alternative configurations of a panty pad of the invention;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the assembled panty pad with portions torn away to show internal construction;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic partly-exploded sectional view of the panty pad, taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partly-exploded sectional view showing the transverse construction of the pad, taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the top or cover portion of the pad as it is unrolled for use in the assembly of the pad;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view to show placement of a shaped high-absorbency wadding or fill member upon the pad;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view to show application of a thin flexible plastic sheet to the assembly of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 represents the assembly of the pad and with the pullaway member disposed above the adhesive surface of the pad;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an alternative pad construction;

FIGS. 13 and 13A are sectional views of alternatives at 13-13 of FIG. 12; and

FIG. 14 is a simplified schematic showing of a machine for making the pad of FIG. 12.

Referring now in particular to the overall configuration of the panty pad, FIG. 1 shows a pad whose sides are slightly tapered toward each other, while the ends are slightly curved. The configuration of the pad of FIG. 2 has slightly outwardly curved sides, with curved or arcuate ends. FIG. 3 represents a pad having a general configuration similar to that of many of the inset gussets used in the crotch of panties, girdles and the like. The ends of this configuration are shown as parallel to each other while the sides extending from one end converge toward each other at their midlength and then diverge outwardly toward the other end. FIG. 4 represents a panty pad which is a modification of the gusset pad of FIG. 3. In the pad of FIG. 4, the sides have portions converging toward each other and away from each other, and the ends are contoured, with one end having its midportion extending outwardly while the other end has its midportion extending inwardly. This pad somewhat resembles a fish in configuration.

The configuration of the pad is merely a matter of choice; however, through experimentation and tests, it has been found that the tapered pad shape of FIG. 1 provides a great amount of comfort and protection and high degree of acceptance. In use, the tapered shape of FIG. 1 is preferably placed in the panty crotch with the large end portion disposed towards the forward part of the body of the user.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate the structure of the pad, and in this connection the shape or configuration of FIG. 1 has been selected. The pad has a fiber fill 22, which may be a cotton wadding of high absorbency. This fill is cut to the desired shape and is about one-eighth of an inch in thickness. A top or cover 23 may be of a nonwoven or similar material such as the "web-ril--T" rayon product made and sold by The Kendall Corporation. This material is adapted for high absorbency and also may be attached as by heat sealing or by adhesive to other fibers and/or plastics. A plastic strip or bottom member 25 is made of polyvinyl sheeting approximately one-thousandth to two-thousandths of an inch in thickness. This bottom member provides a moisture barrier for the pad and provides means for preventing the passing of the body fluids through the pad and into the undergarment. After assembly of the pad by means of adhesive and folding as hereinbelow described, the outer surface of the plastic strip back member 25 is coated with an adhesive which is nontoxic and which may be of a rubber base variety. The applied adhesive surface is protected by a pullaway cover 27 of paper having at least one surface treated as by silicone for ready release from the adhesive. This cover 27 is cut to shape and is applied to the adhesive surface of the pad until pulled from the pad as it is made ready for use.

The pad construction of FIGS. 5 to 7 may be made on a continuous production line, in accordance with the method illustrated by FIGS. 8 to 11. FIG. 8 shows the top or cover 23 which is a nonwoven rayon or similar product fed from a roll. This cover has a determined width only slightly wider than the fiber fill member 22 at its broadest portion. As this strip 23 is advanced in or on a machine (not shown), a fiber fill piece 22 is cut to the determined shape, as by blanking in a die, and then is dropped or placed onto the top 23 as seen in FIG. 9. An adhesive 30 is locally applied to the cover 23 prior to the placing of the fiber fill piece thereon, some of this adhesive may be used to retain the fiber fill piece in a selected position on the cover 23. Other portions of the adhesive are disposed to extend beyond the sides of the fiber fill for use in the next step to be performed.

As the cover 23 and the fiber fill pads 22 spaced thereon are moved along the line, side tucking fingers (not shown), cause the extending side portions of the cover 23 to be brought upwardly so as to engage and cover the sides of the pad 22. The plastic strip 25 is fed from a roll and is brought into position above the fiber fill 22 and between the upstanding side portions of the cover 23 as in FIG. 10. The plastic strip is then brought into engagement with the fill piece, whereupon the upstanding side portions are caused to be tucked over the plastic strip 25. Referring particularly to FIG. 7, it is to be noted that the side portions of the cover are brought over and around the plastic strip 25. After this operation has been completed, the entire upwardly exposed plastic cover has a nontoxic adhesive applied thereto, this adhesive is a contact-type adhesive which is adapted to retain the pad in the crotch of the panty or girdle when the pad is pressed against the undergarment. This adhesive permits the pad, after a period of use, to be pulled from the undergarment while leaving little, if any, residue of this adhesive on the undergarment.

After the assembly of the pad is brought to the condition of FIG. 10, the front and rear portions of the pad are cut to shape as the pad is severed from the strip. As the pad is severed, the end portions are caused to be brought into the assembled relationship seen in FIG. 6. As shown, the cover 23 lies next to the plastic bottom strip 25 and is retained there by means of the adhesive 30. A pullaway cover 27, as seen in FIG. 11, is contoured to present neatly trimmed ends and sides. It is to be noted that the pullaway cover 27 may extend slightly beyond the sides of the cover 23 so that at the time of use this pullaway cover 27 may be grasped and pulled from the adhesive surface of the pad.

As thus constructed, the cover 23, as it extends along the side of the pad, presents a smooth upwardly extending surface as a panty-mounted pad whereby no chafing or sharp edge is presented to the body. The trimmed ends of the pad are pressed together to provide a tapered end extending to the plastic strip 25. Thus constructed, the exposed cover 23 of the mounted pad presents a very smooth surface to the body as the pad is pressed into an adhesive-held relationship with the crotch portion of the undergarment.

It is to be noted that if the top cover piece 23 is made of nonwoven rayon or other like plastic fiber product, it may be heat sealed to the polyvinyl plastic strip at the ends of the pad assembly. In this method of construction, the adhesive 30 is not needed to retain the ends of the pad but is then used only at the side of the fill piece where, as above described, the cover 23 is attached to the side of the fill piece where, as above described, the cover 23 is attached to the side of the fill piece 22 and to the outer surface of the plastic strip 25 to form a smooth sided pad.

The pad as above constructed is made of only a very thin layer of fill 22 and a very pliable cover 23 and an absorbency shield 25, producing an overall pad thickness of about one-eighth inch. This pad is capable of bending readily to assume a sharp crease or fold necessary to conform to the body of the wearer while the wearer walks or sits. The contact adhesive surface of the pad is contemplated as covering substantially the full surface of the plastic strip 25 so that the pad will adhere to and be retained by the crotch portion of the undergarment to remain in position thereon as the person sits, stands or walks. The contact adhesive retains the pad on the undergarment during use. When the pad is to be discarded, the pad is peeled from the undergarment with the nontoxic contact adhesive remaining on the pad. If perchance a little adhesive remains on the undergarment, the adhesive is nontoxic and is harmless to the user of the pad.

In the arrangement of FIGS. 12 to 14, there is illustrated a preferred pad construction which involves no folds of material. As seen in FIG. 12, the pad 35 is characterized by a continuous peripheral edge 36 of reduced thickness, without involving any fold of material. Nevertheless, the basic order of layers remains as already described, namely;

a. an outer cover or top sheet 37, which may be a thin nonwoven fabric, such as a variety of product known as "Masslin," produced by Chicopee Manufacturing Company, and containing a nontoxic thermoplastic material; cover 37 may be of a 0.005 to 0.010-inch thickness;

b. a wadding or fill 38 about 0.010-inch thick, which may be of bleached cellulose, plied to achieve the desired thickness and bulk, for example to 5-ply weight;

c. a plastic film backing 39, which may be 5-mil polyethylene; and

d. a tear or rip-strip 40 of plastic or paper, to protect the adhesive coat on backing 39 until ready for use.

This construction may be assembled by first bonding the cover 37 to the wadding 38 in such manner as to define the reduced thickness profile 36. The materials of cover 37 and wadding 38 are such as to bond and reshape in the presence of heat and pressure, and the bonding operation is performed continuously. The polyethylene sheet 39 may be supplied complete with an adhesively coated back to which rip-strip material 40 is already assembled, and the entire bonding and combining and cutting (blanking) operation may be performed in a single continuously operative machine, suggested in FIG. 14. FIG. 13A suggests an alternative wherein the peeloff piece 40' and nontoxic adhesive are of lesser area than the pad 35, as for example by providing two such pieces 40' at spaced locations on the plastic back 39, each with its convenient finger-grip tab 40".

In FIG. 14, means (not shown) supplies continuous flexible laminate, comprising plastic sheet 39, preassembled with the rip-strip backing 40, to a gluing station 41, with the sheet 39 exposed (upwardly, in FIG. 14) to receive a suitable nontoxic glue from reservoir 42; glue from reservoir 42 is applied by a roller 43, against a reference idler roll 44 on the rip-strip side of the laminate. Preferably, the glue is applied in a regularly spaced pattern, determined by the surface contour or texture of roll 43; a glue pattern of 1/4-inch diameter dots, or a grid of spaced longitudinal and transverse (or criss-crossed) 1/4-inch strips of glue, at 1/4-inch spacings, has been found to be satisfactory. The glue is preferably odorless and quick-drying, such as dextrine.

The freshly glue-coated plastic 39 is one of three continuous strips supplied to a pair of combining rolls 45-46, the other two strips being cover material 37 from its supply 37' and the wadding 38 from its supply 38'; rolls 45-46 will be understood to serve a guiding and alignment function, and to be spaced sufficiently to achieve adhesive contact between the coated plastic 39 and the underside of the wadding 38, and at the same time to avoid crushing the wadding 38 as the three strips are brought together.

The thus-combined plies or strips (37, 38, and 39-40) may next pass a pair of bonding elements 47-48, shown as matched rolls or platens for locally squeezing the plies; for schematic illustration, matched raised or relief portions 47'-48' are contoured to create the locally squeezed region 36 which ultimately becomes the reduced-thickness margin of the pad 35. Rolls 47-48 will be understood to be heated sufficiently to permit local melting and flow of the thermoplastic contained in cover 37. Such flow enables the cover 36 to peripherally adhere to the wadding 38, and to the extent that thermoplastic material is able to permeate the adjacent thickness of wadding 38, the wadding is consolidated into a relatively dense marginal region, accounting for the permanent reduced-thickness periphery 36; at the same time, heat from rolls 47-48 promotes drying of the adhesive by which wadding 38 is tacked to the polyethylene sheet 39. The increased density of wadding 38, as consolidated by the aforementioned application of heat and pressure, will be understood to provide a margin 36 of relatively nonabsorbent character, continuously framing the primary exposed expanse of absorbent material 37-38.

Having thus defined and consolidated what is to be the peripheral edge or margin 36 of reduced thickness, the continuously moving strip material is next passed through cutting elements or rolls 49-50 for cutting the final outline of the pad, around the margin 36. Dashed lines 51 are shown interconnecting the rolls 47-48-49-50, to assure complete synchronism of drive, and registry of cutouts with the bonded margin 36 of each successive product. A gravity-loaded idler roll 52 tracks the cut strip as it leaves the cutting station 49-50, so that severed products may drop into a suitable collection or stacking device 53.

It will be appreciated that by providing a fat oval or generally rectangular shape to the pad 35 and by appropriate selection of the width of supply materials (37, 38, and 39-40), there will be minimum wastage in the scrap 54. The resulting product 35 is found to be highly effective and satisfactory, in that it represents the utmost in flexibility, adapting itself to the flexing shape of the garment to which it is temporarily self-adhered. Flexibility is enhanced by the fact that no folds of material are involved, and moisture retention is localized to the absorbent region, by reason of the thermoplastic consolidation of the continuous, relatively dense margin 36.

While the invention has been described in detail for the forms shown it will be understood that modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example, the invention has been described for the case of a panty pad, but it is also applicable for other purposes, with contour suited to the particular purpose. Thus, a circular-cut pad of the same character may serve as the removable absorbent liner of a brassiere, or it may be used as a surgical dressing carried by clothing rather than being adhered to the body.

Claims

I claim:

1. A disposable sanitary panty pad adapted to be removably mounted and retained in a crotch of an undergarment such as a panty, girdle and the like, the pad maintained in the crotch by means of a nontoxic adhesive, the panty pad comprising: (a) a high-absorbency fill member of preselected contour and of a relative thinness; (b) a top cover member of high-absorbency and of a width slightly wider than the widest portion of the fill member; (c) an adhesive portion disposed to retain at least the side portions of the cover to the sides of said fill member; (d) an impervious back member of about one-thousandth to two-thousandths of an inch in thickness and of a width disposed to coincide with the widest part of the fill member; (e) means for retaining the ends of the top cover to the impervious back member at portions adjacent the ends of the fill member; (f) a nontoxic contact-type adhesive surface provided on the exposed surface of the impervious back cover, the adhesive providing sufficient tack to retain the mounted pad to the fabric surface of the crotch of the undergarment, the contact-type adhesive disposed to remain on the plastic cover as the used pad is peeled from the undergarment, and (g) a pullaway cover sized to cover the nontoxic adhesive surface of the back cover, the pullaway cover disposed for ready release from the adhesive.

2. A disposable panty pad as in claim 1, in which the cover member is a nonwoven fabric of single thickness and whose side portions are folded over the sides of the high-absorbency fill and are brought over and onto the sides of the impervious back member.

3. A disposable panty pad as in claim 2, in which the impervious back member is of plastic such as polyvinyl and whose width is not more than the widest part of the high-absorbency fill member.

4. A disposable panty pad as in claim 3, in which the means for retaining the ends of the top cover member to the impervious back member is an adhesive disposed between the cover and back members and adjacent the ends of the high-absorbency fill member, and with the cover member and back member pressed together in an assembled condition.

5. A disposable panty pad as in claim 3, in which the means for retaining the ends of the top cover member to the impervious back member is by heat sealing.

6. A disposable panty pad as in claim 1, in which the nontoxic adhesive providing the contact-type adhesive surface is a rubber-base adhesive, and in which the pullaway cover is paper and has one surface treated with silicone to provide the ready release from the contact-type adhesive surface.

7. A disposable panty pad as in claim 1, in which the high-absorbency fill member is of fiber and is about one-eighth of an inch in thickness.

8. A disposable body-contact pad adapted to be removably carried by self-adhesion to an inner surface of a garment, comprising (a) a layer of high-absorbency fill material, (b) a relatively thin top cover layer of flexible porous material, said top layer and said fill layer being continuously secured to each other about the periphery of said pad, (c) an impervious thin plastic back layer adhered to the underside of said fill layer, (d) a nontoxic contact-type adhesive surface on the exposed surface of said plastic back layer, the adhesive providing sufficient tack to retain the mounted pad to the inner fabric surface of a garment, said adhesive being disposed to remain on the plastic cover as the used pad is peeled from the garment, and (e) a pullaway cover sized to cover the nontoxic adhesive surface of the back layer, the pullaway cover being disposed for ready release from the adhesive.

9. A pad according to claim 8, in which one of said first two mentioned layers includes a thermoplastic material, said thermoplastic material being consolidated in a peripherally continuous margin of reduced thickness of said first two mentioned layers.

10. The pad of claim 8, in which said first-mentioned layer contains the thermoplastic material.

11. The pad of claim 10, in which said second layer is bleached cellulose wadding.

12. The pad of claim 10, in which said first-mentioned layer is a nonwoven fabric.

13. The pad of claim 10, in which said plastic back layer is a polyethylene sheet.

14. The pad of claim 13, in which said polyethylene sheet is of thickness in the order of one-half mil.

15. A disposable pad comprising registering multiple layers of essentially the same planform, namely:

a. a cover of relatively thin flexible porous material;

b. a wadding of absorbent material of substantially uniform thickness;

c. a flexible plastic sheet having a tacky adhesive for self-sticking to a garment; and

d. a protective sheet partably carried by said adhesive; said wadding being adhered to said plastic sheet, and said cover and wadding being secured continuously along the margin of said planform locally consolidated by bonding material permeating adjacent marginal regions of said cover and of said wadding.

16. The pad of claim 15, in which the bonding material is thermally sensitive and is contained in said cover material and is locally released into the margin of said wadding by local marginal compression of said layers in the presence of heat.